President Obama: 'In midterms, we get clobbered'

President Barack Obama told Democratic donors that Democrats tend to “get clobbered” in midterm elections, and in order to win in November they need to turn out the vote.

Speaking at the suburban Miami home of basketball legend Alonzo Mourning and his wife Thursday, Obama told attendees at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fundraiser that Americans agree with Democrats on every issue, but that Washington politics has “become so toxic” that they aren’t voting.

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“That’s especially true during the midterms,” Obama said, according to a White House transcript. “During presidential elections, young people vote, women are more likely to vote, blacks, Hispanics more likely to vote. And suddenly a more representative cross-section of America gets out there and we do pretty well in presidential elections. But in midterms we get clobbered — either because we don’t think it’s important or we’ve become so discouraged about what’s happening in Washington that we think it’s not worth our while.”

Speaking alongside House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Obama emphasized the importance of returning her to the position of speaker of the House and keeping Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in control of the upper chamber.

“That’s what’s at stake. And I’m just hoping that all of you feel the same sense of urgency that I do,” Obama told a crowd of about 75 people who paid $16,000 to $32,000 to attend. “Like I said, I’m not on the ballot this time, but I didn’t get into politics just for the office. I got into it because I believe in what we’re fighting for. But I can’t do it alone. Nancy can’t do it alone. [Democratic National Committee Chairwoman] Debbie [Wasserman Schultz] can’t do it alone. We’re going to need you.”

Thursday night’s fundraiser was the first of at least six events Obama has committed to do for the DCCC in coming months.